The Horse Abuse that Shocked a Small Town

The Horse Abuse that Shocked a Small Town

By Garland Eger

In the small town of Coxsackie, NY, about twenty miles south of Albany,
thoroughbred breeder Ernie Paragallo has been arrested on 22 counts of
Animal abuse. Paragallo's farm had some 177 Horses on it, at least eight of
whom were in critical condition.

At the time of the raid many of the horses were covered in lice, bone
thin, and too weak to be touched. The Columbia-Greene Humane Society has
taken over the farm and is currently working with the remaining horses.

Paragallo, the owner of 1996 derby favorite "Unbridled's Song" told
investigators that he had not visited the facility in over nine months.
Paragallo had this to say about the matter; "It wasn't knowing neglect, Did
I try and harm any of those horses? Absolutely not. Did any of them come up
skinny? Absolutely. Was it a case of mismanagement? Absolutely. I'm not
shying away from it. but I didn't abuse them."

I personally do not see how any living being could subject another to
such a fate and then call it "mismanagement". The situation is no different
than if a mother starved a new born baby. Incidents like this only prove
that horse racing is a cruel and unusual sport, and should be condemned as
primitive. Horses are incredibly loving, caring and emotionally sensitive
creatures, and would never subject humans to such a horrible fate.

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